WDBO Local News

Market consultant expects more grocery store closings

By
Joe Ruble
@ July 29, 2010 5:04 PM
Permalink | Comments (3)

A supermarket consultant tells WDBO that Winn Dixie may not be finished in closing stores to cope with weak sales.

The Jacksonville-based firm announced it was closing 30 stores and cutting more than 120 corporate and field support jobs.

"It is somewhat of a miracle that Winn-Dixie is still open," remarked David Livingston with Retail Wire Brain Trust.

That's because its sales are 30 percent below average for grocery stores in this state, he said Even struggling Albertson's and Sweetbay are doing better than the Florida grocer since its emergence from bankruptcy.

"Down the road, something's going to have to give. There's going to be more closings," he said.

Floridians have two favorite places to shop for groceries: Wal-Mart and Publix.

"They continue to run away from the field," he added, by performing better than average for their competition.

The introduction of discount chains like the German-based Aldi, whose stores are smaller and run with fewer frills, are also eating into profits.

Winn-Dixie hopes to save $12 to $17 million annually as a result, starting in the first quarter. The company disclosed which stores will be closed on its website Thursday. Read the list here.

The Associated Press contributed to this report




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What others are saying

  • Winn DIxie Closing
    Most of the Winnn Dixie's I have been in lately are nasty, smelly and the produce has gnats all over it. It is not surprising to me they are closing. Maybe they should have been keeping their stores cleaner, it would have been a start. Their prices are not that great either. I save more at Publix without some ridiculous key tag card I have to use like WD and there are no bugs. I dispise Wal-Mart with their severe lack of customer service and the smells aren't so good there either. Publix has my vote hands down.
  • i like winn dixie they have good prices and the newly remodeled stores are really nice
  • its just wrong for the closings of real good store
    winn-diixe is a better place then wal-mart and for sure publix food
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